Child
by crazykittymomma
Summary: One-shot...Based around 6 months after Stoick passes, Hiccup surrenders to Valka's help after he begins to suffer through fatigue.


**Hi, everyone! I am still hanging around. I've been experiencing some writers block and a case of "I'm too hard on myself" for the past few months. Along with that, I have been working a lot more hours between my two jobs, which has inspired this little one-shot. **

**Writing used to ease me, and when I was writing I was less moody, my mind seemed to be spinning much less...Used to me calmer than it has been here lately. I have been writing almost everyday. However, I am still working on that novel I want to write. I have expectations of the creativity of Gillian Flynn, but I know I am no where near where she is at in her literary career. **

**In the middle of my struggle with my novel (which I have started the first chapter more than half a dozen times and I cannot get it right) I have been working a ton. Between my full-time desk job (that's practically killing me) and my part-time job at the Y (I should have been a teacher) I've been working practically non-stop. **

**Due to a case of insomnia, I bring you this little one-shot.**

**...**

Hiccup was too tired to control the gears to Toothless's tail. They'd started to lift off down at the beach, but halfway into the air, somehow Hiccup had fallen asleep, and Toothless would crash to the ground. After an angry look from Toothless, and Hiccup continuing to insist he was all right, and "My peg slipped, bud-" Toothless turned his snout up at him and started walking towards the village.

"C'mon, Toothless-" Hiccup said more than once, practically graveling at his dragon's feet. "Third time's the charm-"

Toothless snorted in reply, and walked on past Hiccup.

Although, five minutes in, Toothless noticed Hiccup becoming much more quiet, and slower. He'd started leaning into Toothless here and there. Toothless didn't think much of it until he heard Hiccup accidentally moan aloud. In return, Hiccup received not only a more narrowing look of the eyes, but also sudden concern reflecting from Toothless's eyes in the moonlight.

"It's okay, bud," Hiccup sighed, patting him on the head gently. "Just been a long day."

Again, another glare.

"Promise."

The fifteen minute walk to their home had ended up feeling like an eternity. It was well past the time the lanterns lining the walkways were blown out, so they walked together in almost pure darkness. Every few minutes, Toothless would catch Hiccup's stride shorten. He could sense his friend becoming rigid suddenly. And, once the wave of pain would surpass, they would move on.

Then, Hiccup stumbled and fell to the ground, a second, loud groan escape his chest. This promoted a lot of nosing from Toothless, worried Hiccup wouldn't sit back up. At one point, he considered going for help, but he felt Hiccup grab the strap of the saddle and forcefully pull himself to stand. At this point, he was barely placing any pressure onto his leg.

"Don't grumble at me like that," Hiccup said sternly. "We are almost home. I will manage."

Again, Toothless grumbled, and instead of moving forward with Hiccup, who was leaning against him heavily to walk, he refused.

"We are almost home," Hiccup said to him again. "Don't start."

But, Toothless refused to budge.

"Five more minutes," Hiccup said to him, trying to hide the fact that his body was shaking from the pain radiating from the bottom of his stump to his hip. He knew Toothless could see right through him. Letting out a defeated sigh, he forced himself to pull himself over onto the saddle, and carefully placing his leg so that it did not snap into the saddle but relax at Toothless's side.

Quickly the dragon moved down the walkway and up towards their home. He gently allowed Hiccup to lower himself from his back and onto the final step of their porch. He knew his rider wanted to keep some of his dignity in check.

Grasping the handle of the door, Hiccup pushed the heavy door open with his shoulder, practically leaning on it for a bit of support. He felt tired, run-down, and fatigued. Although he'd felt like this more times than he could count or remember, this had become the new normal for him.

To Hiccup's surprise, his mother sat at the kitchen table when he'd opened the door. She peered up at him tiredly. They exchanged a weak smile between them as he approached a seat across from her at the table, forcing himself to walk correctly despite the pain. He'd caught sight of the cup of tea she had been nursing for who knew how long. It was then he decided a cup sounded nice for his dry throat.

"Is the kettle still warm?" he asked his mother quietly.

"I believe so," she replied to him, and stood up to go to the fire for it. She poured him a mug of warm water, added the tea leaves, and placed it within reach before cutting off a hunk of bread for him and placing that in front of him as well. "I'm sure you haven't eaten yet today-"

Hiccup felt his stomach cave slightly. Guilt washed over him. He caught her eye, and he received the same look Toothless had given him just a little while ago, although more worry showed on her face than Hiccup had expected. Forcing the anxiety of the matter aside, convincing himself that it was just in his head, he reached for the mug and took a sip. The heat flooded through his insides, and some relief came.

"Eat," Valka said to him before she went across the room again and into the cabinet. Hiccup saw her rooting through some dusty jars.

Tearing off a hunk of bread, Hiccup took a small bite, chewing slowly. He found himself in a slight daze, only to awaken when pain flooded through his stump again. This time, he'd caught himself from calling out in pain again.

She must'nt know.

Valka returned to the table with a few jars. Sitting them out in front of she and Hiccup, he watched her uncap a few, add the herbs to an empty cup, before she poured warm water inside, mixing them together. Hiccup became mesmerized watching the cloud of heat roll out of the top of the mug. Then-

"Drink this," Valka said to him gently.

Hiccup eyed it, more seriously now, then to his mother.

"Why?" he asked seriously, almost defensively.

"Hiccup, don't toy with me," Valka replied.

"Toy with you?" he asked.

He watched her sigh worriedly, and place a hand up to her forehead, rubbing it gently. She was struggling to say what she wanted to, Hiccup could tell.

"Since when are you so quiet?" he asked her, reaching for her free hand. Suddenly, he was trying to comfort her. Catching her eye, she seemed surprised, and still worry showed on her face. "You are never this quiet."

Pointing this out to her again, she seemed to ease up slightly.

"Hiccup, I am worried about you," she responded, giving his hand a squeeze.

Suddenly, Toothless snorted from just behind him, as if agreeing with his mother.

"Why are you worried?" Hiccup asked her. "It's just late. You should have been in bed a while ago-"

"I could say the same for you," Valka replied. She let go of his hand, and went to reach up to his face, but paused when she saw Hiccup's face grimace suddenly. Again, he swallowed the moan that struggled to escape from his lips.

Hiccup had been caught, and he knew it.

"Hiccup-" Valka said with a small sigh. She eyed him from head to toe, then a wave of determination washed over her again. "C'mon, let's get you upstairs-"

"Mom, I can walk-"

Valka was already pulling her son's arm over her shoulder to support him, forcing him up off the bench.

"I know you can walk-I don't want you to-"

Before Hiccup could protest, they were heading slowly up the stairs, he grasping the banister with his free hand for support, and she supporting his lame side. By the time they reached the top of the stairs, Hiccup felt another wave wash up his stump and side. This time, he buckled into himself from the wave, and if Valka hadn't been there he would have fallen.

She pushed him into his bed, where a large wave of fatigue washed over him. He fell against his pillow, letting out a defeated sigh.

"I'll be back," Valka said to him, and he heard her feet heading down the stairs.

He laid there for a moment, staring up at the logged ceiling. His mind wondered a little bit. He thought of his father's voice, yelling his name when he messed up during a dragon raid. "Yer in the way!" Then, he thought of Astrid reminding him that he hadn't made time with the village to practice the new emergency plan. And then of a few of the villagers making demands at one of the town meetings they'd had earlier that week...

His chest suddenly felt a little heavy.

Valka returned with a few items, those of which Hiccup simply heard being sat down on the floor or the bedside table.

"Now-" she said, "-before this get too bad-"

Hiccup found her touching his leg, which immediately brought him to pull away from her. The look on her face when he shouted "No!" seemed to have startled her. Again, guilt washed over him when he knew she was just trying to help him.

"Hiccup-"

"Mom-I-" He couldn't find the words. Swallowing hard, he could tell he was panting heavily. His chest felt even heavier than before. His head suddenly felt heavy as an iron bell.

Valka moved on. Instead, she sat on the bed, and began helping him take off his armor. Starting first with the shoulder pads, then the wrist guards, and she worked her way down to his knees, being ever so gentle as she did. Hiccup suddenly detect that she was humming quietly to herself. And, just as suddenly as he noticed it, she stopped. He heard nothing outside of the crackles of the fire in the hearth eating it's fill with wood.

"Mom-" he said, and their eyes met again. He struggled with the words, practically feeling them choking him. "No one-Dad never-I can-do it myself."

Valka nodded to him, apparently understanding the break of words he was trying to say. Hiccup began untying the supporting straps of his one-of-a-kind prosthetic. Once he felt the pressure release, it took all he had not to call out in pain again. It shot in large waves through his leg and hip, and he could actually feel the pain flowing halfway up his back. He was shaking again, and suddenly, he felt a warm compress push itself onto his stump as the prosthetic was removed. Not by he, but his mother.

He was forced back onto the pillows as Valka applied the warm, welcoming pressure, massaging his stump as the pain radiated.

"Rate the pain," Valka demanded.

"Huh?"

"One to ten-ten being the worst-"

"An-eigh-no seven," Hiccup said. Seven just seemed to be better than eight. She'd worry less he'd convince himself on the fly.

A warm mug was pushed into his hand, and without she asking he began to sip it. One sip told him he needed to chug the concoction of herbs, however. He practically choked it down, then another mug was forced into his hand. His tea, which he welcomed in three large gulps.

What felt like hours later, Hiccup was asked to rate his pain again. He'd begun to daze off slightly. For a split second, he wished his mother had let him.

"Eh-I don't know-"

"Is it better?" Valka asked him.

"Yeah, actually-" he breathed. "Loads." He watched her dip the compress back into a bucket of water on the floor, and wrapped his stump into it again before pulling the blankets up towards Hiccup's waist. She smoothed them out over him, then they regained eye contact again.

"You are working yourself too hard," Valka said gently. "Much too hard."

Defense flew up in front of Hiccup again.

"Mom-if I don't the village-"

"Hiccup-" Valka interrupted him. "Don't you worry your head over this place. I promise you, tomorrow morning it'll still be standing."

"Mom-"

"Easy," Valka said. He hand rested on his wrist. She seemed to be counting in her head while she was concentrating. She shook her head, releasing his wrist a bit later. Again, establishing eye contact with him. "You are getting sick."

"You can't know that," Hiccup said to her.

"I can," Valka said to him, reaching for another mug of something on the table and placing it into his hands. "That-That right there will knock you out for a good twelve hours-"

"I don't want it," Hiccup said to her, pushing it back towards her.

"Hiccup-trust me. You need a good night's sleep. It'll allow your body to heal faster."

"I can't sleep for a solid twelve hours," Hiccup said to her. "Mom, I have duties to do in the morning-"

"Like?" Valka asked him. Before he could go on she said, "Check the boats on the docks-make a sweep of the island-check on people in the Great Hall-"

And just like that, she had his morning rehearsed for him.

"Hiccup, as a boy you watched your father's routine day in and day out," Valka said to him. "I know this. I know this because I used to watch him do it. For four solid years I watched him operate on almost the same schedule everyday. And, it's the same schedule you've operated on for nearly six months-"

"Mom-"

"Hiccup, you aren't your father," Valka said. "So, don't let the pressures of this village flood over you." She reached her hand up to his forehead, hesitantly, as she feared he'd pull away. He didn't to her relief. As suspected, a fever was starting. She could tell from how he was beginning to shiver. "For the last week I've heard you pace over my head. I've heard you scream in your sleep-"

Was he really screaming?

"-And, Astrid has begun to worry."

"Astrid?" Hiccup said. The thought of her worrying over him seemed almost foreign, especially if it came down to his physical health. Much like he'd been, she'd shown little notice that something was bothering her. She'd hide a lot of her anxiety about things around him, until she felt it needed to be voiced.

"You can't pour from an empty cup, Hiccup," Valka said to him, pushing the cup of herbs back into his hand. "You need rest. And, good rest."

Hiccup looked at her gently, then looked back down at the herbs in his cup.

"Mom-what if I can't do it?" Hiccup asked her.

"Run the village?" she asked him.

He nodded.

"You will, and you have," she replied. "You are letting this get the better of you-because you won't stop and rest. Even Stoick the Vast needed to rest and re-energize. I'm sure you of all people know this."

Hiccup nodded. "There were nights when I was little even my nightmares then didn't wake him up-" Hiccup sounded small; felt small.

"Nightmares when you were little?" Valka asked. "What sort of nightmares?"

Hiccup shrugged his shoulder, feeling his cheeks grow scarlet. "Just had them." He didn't want to tell her that he'd had them since Snotlout described with exaggeration how Valka had been carried off by dragons when they were kids..."To be someone's meal." He'd somehow heard her screams when he'd sleep, calling out for his father and he. He'd dreamed a dragon actually managed to get a hold of his father. And, he'd dreamed he'd be living with Spitelout and Snotlout growing up. Despite the strange relationship he and his father had shared when Hiccup was growing up, living with his father was better than staying under a roof with Snotlout from day to night.

"Forget them," Valka said to him gently, pulling him out of his daze. Again, she motioned towards the cup. "The village will be fine. I will go with Gobber tomorrow to run down your list. You need a vacation, Hiccup. If not a vacation, some additional sleep at the very least."

Hiccup bit the inside of his cheek. He smelled the inside of the cup. He knew what it was. It was the very concoction Gothi had forced down his throat to keep him in a coma after he'd lost his leg. For easily a week she'd pushed Stoick and Gobber to force it down his throat when he'd scream out in pain from his new leg. The thought made him somewhat queasy.

"I promise you, Hiccup, I won't force you to take it," Valka said. She took the cup from him and sat it at his bedside. "Instead, let me sit with you until you fall asleep, okay?"

Hiccup sighed. He settled his head back in bed, pulling the covers up gently to his shoulder. He could now feel the compress growing cold, and his leg started to twinge again with additional pain. He reached for the mug, and took the herbs in another large gulp. This time, he only chased it with two swallows of tea, and allowed himself to curl his legs closer to his body so that he could rest better.

He felt a cold compress pushed to his forehead suddenly. And, he suddenly became aware that his mother was preparing to leave the room. Instead, he reached for her hand, keeping her close.

"Please-" he began. "Sit with me until I fall asleep."

And just like that. He became that small child his mother hadn't seen in over twenty years. She returned back to his bed, taking a seat beside him. He closed his eyes, feeling her rub his back gently, and he listened to her hum softly as he began to fall asleep. Finally feeling some sense of wholeness...something he hadn't felt since before he lost his father.

"I love you," he said gently.

"I love you, too, my son," she said back to him quietly. "Now, sleep."

...

**Thank you for reading this fic! **


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